From beautifying public spaces to grappling with ecological challenges, these creative forces are pushing the boundaries of design

"We were young architects in New York, the recession happened, and we couldn't get jobs," Marc Kushner recalls of his initial inspiration to start Architizer, a social network focused exclusively on architecture, with three friends. "Even worse, we had no way to tell anyone about the work we had already done." So, they changed the situation—in impressive fashion. In November 2009, following the rise of websites like Facebook and LinkedIn, they launched Architizer, a digital destination where architects could showcase their projects and connect with other designers, journalists, potential new clients, and anyone else interested in architecture.

The service caught on like wildfire. Today, it showcases more than 46,000 projects by some 12,000 architecture firms around the world, and just keeps growing. "It's become this one-stop depository of amazing worldwide architecture," says Kushner, who is both CEO of Architizer and a partner in the architecture firm HWKN. "We try to make architecture accessible, and remind people that they touch it every day." architizer.com. TIM MCKEOUGH